07/11/2010

Does the kind of wood make a difference?

Regular reader Tea writes from Milwaukee to ask,

What are people's favorite types of wood to walk on? I've noticed a significant difference in the hardness of the wood in my Sanitas vs. my Tessa Clogs of Vail. I prefer the soft Tessa wood, but I don't know what it is. Those shoes, however, are the most comfortable clogs I own, and I think it has a lot to do with the wood. Even Sven is softer than Sanita, though not as soft as Tessa. I want a wood comparison! :)

Good question!

I know I love the feel of a wood sole beneath my feet, but I've never stopped to think about whether the kind of wood had any effect on how much I enjoy my clogs. Certainly the wood has to be hard enough to withstand being walked on repeatedly without splitting or cracking. And there must be some consideration for how easily the wood itself will splinter or chip. Every clog I've ever worn has always felt firm against my sole. I've never noticed the wood molding to my feet over time. That's the special appeal of shoes with cork footbeds. So there must be some consideration given to the density of the wood. You don't want to feel you're walking on concrete. Yet a shoe made out of something with as much give as balsa wood would be a less than firm-footed experience. It's no surprise that clog makers have given some serious thought to the material they make their shoes out of. When Tea's question landed in my Inbox, I queried some of the shoe makers that have been featured on Every Clog Has Its Day. It turns out that the hardness or softness of the wood is not as much of an issue as the weight.

Feet are no different than a foundation of a house. You would not want to build a house on sand, or soft dirt. Wood absorbs shock and perspiration. The wooden base has to have a roll, and carved-in arch support. The whole point of the solid wooden base, is to get you off the ball of your foot. You walk with your ankle, and the rolling motion of the wood. You use the same muscles that a bicyclist uses - the muscles in the front of your leg. To get the full benefits from wearing clogs, it is extremely important that the clogs are fitted properly.

We like willow and popple (or aspen) wood, becasuse both are strong and light weight.

I suppose a soft grain wood would have less of an impact, assuming that the outsoles were the same. My experience is that the outsole hardness makes the most difference. Some imported clogs have a very thin layer of durable yet rock-hard material for their soles. For the minimum impact, we can round the heel and put cushiony expanded neoprene heels on our clogs.

I think it has to do with the shape of the footbed - a better fit that supports the whole foot is going to feel "softer" in my opinion.

I do think that wood is an excellant shock absorber, which is why I personally feel that a wood-soled shoe is better for long walks than some over-padded tomb of a shoe that the uneducated masses think is more appropriate (ha). Perhaps your reader notices that harder woods are less shock absorbant? I don't know - I don't feel like I can tell a

difference, but all my woods (cherry, maple, and walnut) are true hardwoods and have similar densities.

In regards to the wood heels - I use 2 different types of wood –one is alder wood and the other is plywood. Alder wood is a little softer and I only use plywood for minor details in some of the construction.

I pad every wood shoe with a soft foam insole which gives added extra comfort. Other wood shoes do not have padded insoles and are not generally ergonomically designed. I also take into consideration to design each shoe to rock with the movement of the foot.

we use always the same wood (poplar), so i can´t compare. our shoes are comfortable. but it's not only the wood, also the flexible polyurethane part. and also it depends on the bottom: is the rubber part that is attached soft or hard? and not to forget: is there a footbed carved into the top of the sole, or is the inner sole completely flat. in cases where soft wood is used, the soles wouldn´t be as durable, and there would be also troubles with nails, tacks, etc.

The answer to the question is no, the softness has no bearing, but the weight does affect comfort. We in America use alder wood, (only available here I believe,) the biggest reason is it is lighter weight than other types, but we still drill holes in it to make it lighter. There are certainly more exotic or interesting looking woods, but the durability of alder is good and it will will not chip as easily. It also takes stain better than other types.

Just a side note: the way the bottoms rock when walking versus a flat bottom shoe is a big comfort factor.

Comments

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One of the many things I adore about your blog is all the things it teaches me; I am not just a shoe lover, I am a shoe learner! Posts like today's not only fuel my lust for clogs, but my appreciation of their design process and craft.

And the saddle clogs image used in your post is the same image Mark sent me to let me know mine were on the way!

Thanks for this post today as I'm new to clog collecting and am also learning a lot from your blog. I just recently purchased a pair of Sanita's and the first thing I told my husband is that they felt harder on my feet than my Sven's purchased from ClogMaster. It's interesting that the manufacturers are stating it is not the wood that makes the difference overall. Sanita has been making clogs for a long time so it would be interesting to hear their perspective, or they would at least be interested in knowing their customers are not completely satisfied with the comfort of their shoes. I will have to buy some Tessa's for comparison it seems.

Thank you so much for the feedback! It truly means a lot to me. Im one of those people who can never do anything halfway. If Im going to have a blog, its going to be a blog that Id want to visit with something worth looking at on a daily basis. And of course, that takes a little effort to pull together. Im so pleased that my little investigative reports into this small corner of the footwear industry are finding an audience!

That is interesting! Youre the second reader to mention perceiving a difference in the hardness of the wood from brand to brand. I have three pairs of Sanita clogs myself, and I have to say I havent noticed a difference one way or the other between their wood soles and the wood soles of my other clogs. But maybe my feet are just not sensitive to that sensation. I dont think Ive ever registered a difference in the hardness of the soles beyond padded versus bare wood. I wonder if any other readers are similarly sensitive to that variation you feel.

Your efforts are appreciated! I converted to clog wearing due to foot problems. And the folks at ClogMasters enlightened me to how wooden shoes make all of the difference. So far I know heel height does not matter. I just need a solid platform that does not 'give'. Wearing mainstream flats make my feet sore. Clogs have been a miracle cure for my tootsies, and I'm so excited they have made a comeback with shoe designers so I can collect really cute ones.

Unfortunately, not all clog designers are as conscientious or as health focussed as Clogmasters. Glad to know youve found satisfaction with their shoes.

And yes, I feel like a kid in a candy shop right about now. Used to be, if a pair of clogs came along in a size I can wear (I usually need an 11 or a 12), Id just get it because it fit. Thanks to the current clog craze, I actually have some selection! In fact, I just returned a couple of shoes this past week that I would have been thrilled to find once upon a time. But some I liked better came along, so back they went!

Since I discovered your blog I have been on a clog buying frenzy! I too have returned a few pair of really cute ones because I'm waiting for the 'perfect' pair I know I will wear forever. I too wear 11 or 12, and am amazed how all the ones I like usually come in my size. Over the 4th of July I was showing of a new pair and someone commented on how small my feet looked in them. That really put a smile on my face.

Hooray! Thank you for your investigation! This point about the rubber (or other material) on the bottom of the shoe may be something I should take into consideration -- the shock absorption on the Tessas does seem to be superior to the Sanitas, which seem to have a hard plastic bottom (though it's probably something else). But the Svens have a really soft shock absorbing bottoms, and I still find the Tessas to be better in that department. Strange. I'll be interested to see Natealine's take on it!

I remember checking out the No. 6 clog boots when I was visiting my daughter in Brooklyn last fall. I believe they are (or at least were) manufactured by the Sven people. And I remember being impressed with how pliable the rubber/plastic sole was. It had a squishy, padded feeling. Not hard at all. They didnt have my size so I couldnt test drive them, but holding in my hands I got the idea that theyd be a comfortable walking experience because of the bottom material. Of course, youd be losing some of that noise that makes clogs fun to knock around in.

I don't hink any of the makers really answered what the first reader was asking - I have clogs from many makers, including vintage, and my Tessas are the only ones that have taken impressions of my toes. They are also the most confortable by far.